History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

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HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

again, when He bade us love one another. Let us all try to keep that
precept."
A PICTURE OF MEMORY
The following address was delivered by John M. Norton at the socalled "supervisors' picnic" (a misleading term, as he says), held August
24, 1892; also at the meeting of the Michigan Pioneer and Historical
Society, June 7, I893:
"Mr. President, citizens of Oakland county: Once more under
bright skies, in health, in prosperity and in peace, we exchange greetings
at our annual county reunion. It is termed the 'Supervisors' picnic,' but
its meaning and its nature are broader than its name. This yearly
assemblage imports something more than a mere summer's day outing
for a set of township and ward officers. It signifies something nobler
than the atmosphere of office; its dignity is higher and deeper.
"This annual picnic is the yearly refreshment of a great people's
heart. Its issues are the brightening of thought, the rekindling of healthful emotion, the rejuvenation of life. Cords of union and affection which
else might ravel and break, are here strengthened and renewed. For the
hour, each individual is transfigured-all utterance is true, every purpose is unselfish.
"Two pictures are hung before the eyes of this multitude today.
One is traced by the pencil of hope, and it hangs against the sunrise of
the future; the other is painted by the brush of the memory, and it
leans against the purpling sunset of the past. Not one of us sees them
both. Upon the former look all the young, as upon an opening vision
of prophecy; upon the latter look all the old, as upon the closing of the
gate called Beautiful. Each picture is circled with a glowing framethe one new and fair, unscathed by the flame and sword of life's battle;
the other is bruised and scarred, but is of gold tried in the fire.
"I am one of the old. Providence has bounteously granted me the
full three score and ten years, with two years grace. Come now, my
companions in the 'silver gray,' and look with me for a moment upon
our picture-the picture painted by memory, and which leans against
the sunset in the frame of gold. To your eyes and mine the figures in
this picture are clearly drawn, and of life size. The coloring is faultless
and the perspective is so perfect that it seems to speak to us like a
living voice. All this is partly owing to the skill' and integrity of the
artist, but chiefly to the fact that the picture was painted from life.
"The background of this painting includes, in a general way, all of
the southeastern portion of the lower peninsula of Michigan north of
Detroit; but all of its special detail and development are confined to
Oakland county, as lines and limits were established by Governor Lewis
Cass. in his executive proclamation of the date of March 28, I820, and
as the same now are. In the misty distance this beautiful county appears
as a land of forest and stream, of hill and vale, fresh and wild as it
came from nature's hand, in the possession of savage beasts and more
savage men. The Jesuit priest and the French voyager push through
the great lakes and up the Clinton river, and open communication with
the imperial Pontiac and the rude nations subject to his vast survey.